For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed secure after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission from Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was what he typically does – remain firmly in the present, as composed as possible. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was particularly good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the past or what is occurring in the season, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. I think each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love so much being here and I know the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the team continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
